Michael Prophet

Michael Prophet

Michael Prophet was a reggae singer from Kingston, Jamaica, born in 1957 and active from the late 1970s. He is known for a roots reggae style and a distinctive tenor voice described as a “crying” vocal approach. He grows up in Greenwich Farm in western Kingston.

Career

He begins recording in 1977 after being discovered by producer Vivian Jackson, known as Yabby You. Yabby You takes him to Channel One, where he records his debut song, “Praise You Jah Jah”. He makes a first breakthrough with a cover of the Heptones’ “Fight It To The Top”, then builds a stronger reputation with roots-oriented material.

Among the songs that become especially popular on UK sound systems are “Gates Of Zion”, “Mash Down Rome”, “Turn Me Loose”, “Warn Them Jah” and “Creation Rock”. “Turn Me Loose” also appears in the film Babylon.

Albums and producers

Island Records releases his debut album, Serious Reasoning, in 1980. The album features backing from The Gladiators and is regarded as a key release in his catalogue. After working with Yabby You, he records for Henry “Junjo” Lawes and has his biggest hit with “Gunman”, reflecting the shift towards dancehall in that period.

During the first half of the 1980s, he also records for Don Mais, Al Campbell, Sugar Minott, Winston “Niney” Holness and Winston Riley. Later, after time in Miami, he moves to England and records “Your Love”, which reaches number one in the UK reggae chart in 1990. The following year he releases Get Ready, which also sells well.

Later work

Michael Prophet meets Rootsman in 1992, and they later record dubplates together in 2001. In January 2003, Rootsman produces him at Third Eye Studio, where he voices “Praises” and “Cry Of A Family”. He dies in 2017 after living with lung cancer and a brain tumour.